AIRPORT OPERATOR HIAL said it could not revitalise the fortunes of Dundee Airport on its own and called on the local community to embrace the facility.
In a letter to The Courier, managing director Inglis Lyon said HIAL was committed to the Riverside facility but warned a turnaround would take time.
Mr Lyon’s comments came days after it was revealed just over 2,000 people passed through the airport in December a 52.8% drop caused by Loganair’s decision to withdrawal two scheduled services.
The plunge means Dundee handled fewer passengers than Benbecula last month and significantly less than the 42,251 welcomed at Inverness.
However, Mr Lyon said comparisons were false.
“We are doing everything possible to secure new passenger services but I also think it right that we acknowledge some of the challenges we face,” he said.
“There has been some criticism that fares are too high at Dundee. Let me be clear HIAL does not set ticket prices. That is entirely a matter for airlines.
“Where we can make a difference is through our landing charges and we have worked very hard with our airline partners to ensure their costs are kept as low as possible.
“Sadly, in the case of Loganair, this wasn’t enough to make their services to Belfast and Birmingham economically viable in the face of dwindling passenger numbers. The harsh reality of the market is that routes can only succeed if there is sufficient passenger demand.
“The comparison with Inverness Airport is a false one. Inverness’s nearest major competitor is more than 100 miles away.
“Dundee faces strong competition from nearby Edinburgh, Scotland’s busiest airport, serving around 130 worldwide destinations and to a lesser extent, Aberdeen and Glasgow. As a result, Dundee has been squeezed in recent years.
“The length of the airport runway isn’t the problem. Indeed, the issue has never been raised in our discussions with prospective airlines. Instead they raise far more practical concerns about route demand, passenger yield, aircraft availability and competition from other airports.
“None of these challenges are insurmountable but, equally, we need to recognise that there can be no quick fix.
“The high level of Air Passenger Duty, coupled with high fuel prices and a faltering economy, means that airlines in the UK are now more risk averse than ever before.
“That means we need to work harder than ever to promote Dundee as a business and leisure destination. It can’t be achieved by HIAL alone we need the support of local residents, businesses and politicians and it won’t happen overnight.”
No-frills airline easyJet revealed a strong start to the year, thanks to a busy ski season and record numbers of business travellers.
The Luton-based carrier, which posted a 9.2% rise in revenues to £833 million in the three months to the end of December, expects to roughly halve last year’s interim deficit of £112m.
business@thecourier.co.uk